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So typically, the reason Taichi bullied Arata was because of two aspects?

One: When he felt confident of his abilities to remember the 100 poems and Chihaya only able to remember 50. Finding out that he's not the only big player in the class with the announcement of Arata's ability to remember all 100 poems as well probably struck him.

Two: Taichi only became interested in the subject of bullying Arata when Chihaya started showing more concern over him. But also because he was jealous of Chihaya's close attachment to Arata over the course of time. But also with a little concern of "If you join Arata, you will become unpopular as well." in which he tried to prevent Chihaya from taking that route.

Now, in the present time. Taichi probably wanted to make amends with Chihaya for saying all those mean things when they were kids possibly? At the train station, when Chihaya found out that Taichi had a girlfriend. The somewhat depressed look on Chihaya probably made Taichi feel bad for himself for the after-effects, but then Arata came up and it turned around?

Interesting first episode, will wait for more to see what will happen.

This is a pretty interesting (although written in 1996) read about Karuta.

"The action gets particularly tense towards the end of every game, when the number of cards left in play is small, and it is then that the player with the fastest reflexes will triumph. Top champions are thus usually fairly young, still with good reaction times, but it is fascinating to watch a competition involving quite elderly ladies. They slowly fold themselves into place before their cards, stretch lazily, chat a bit with their neighbours ... but once that poem is recognized ... it is as though a snake has darted out from each kimono sleeve!"

I'm surprised that so many people are seemingly dismissing the systematic bullying aspect here. I haven't seen bullying come up a lot in anime, or in manga, but just about every time it does, there's a certain idea that it conveys:

If an individual starts being nice to the person being systematically bullied, and hangs out a lot with that person, than this individual is likely to get bullied himself/herself.

The look in Taichi's eyes when he saw Chihaya talk more and more with Arata struck me much more as simple concern than outright jealousy. I very much think that Taichi was sincerely worried that a lot of the class would turn on Chihaya if she was seen as getting too close to the "marked" Arata.

I'd encourage people to watch the anime movie Colorful, as well as Shigofumi Episode 6 to see what I'm referring to here.

Except that's not what happened in the show. The sequence goes as follows:

There's no concern here at all, and the only character to even suggest bullying Chihaya is Taichi himself. In context, this talk of "ostracism" is less a warning than it is a threat.

It's a very simply composed and effectively directed scene so there isn't a whole lot of room for ambiguity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple_R

What calorie and myself meant by "slice of life" was slower paced everyday living content, which is what a lot of people mean by "slice of life". I do not agree with the notion that slice of life is strictly about atmosphere, and can't be about characters.

What you're describing is called "drama". I thought that I had missed a scene somewhere.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

This would have made an excellent fit for NoitaminA, though I suppose we should be glad it's getting 25 eps instead of 22.

noitaminA has become a haven for shows like Black Rock Shooter nowadays.

__________________

The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won...

Except that's not what happened in the show. The sequence goes as follows:

I'm focusing on more than just the sequence that you're referencing here. I think it's important to keep that sequence in context with what came before. There is a couple scenes where Taichi is taking notice of Chihaya talking about Arata before the scene that you're referencing.

The first is at 09:11, and the second is at 12:58.

In my opinion, there's a look of concern in Taichi's eyes in both of those scenes. I get a distinct sense that the gears are turning in Taichi's head, and he's thinking about what Chihaya's increased focus and friendliness towards Arata could mean for her if she continues it. His appearance in these scenes strike me more as sober concern than outright jealousy.

So when he sees that Chihaya is now approaching Arata to talk with him, Taichi decides that he needs to put a stop to this before Chihaya gets herself into trouble (as Taichi sees it). The sequence you reference is straightforward, but what came before it is important, and places it in a certain context.

Now, it's possible that my interpretation isn't completely right here, but I do think that the anime allows for it at least.

Quote:

What you're describing is called "drama". I thought that I had missed a scene somewhere.

Slower paced everyday living is not what I would call "drama". In my view, the term "slice of life" fits that much better than the term "drama" does.

I'm focusing on more than just the sequence that you're referencing here.

Context is very important, and I agree with you on the concern. It's certainly there, and if you ignore that you're ignoring an important part of the motivation. But even that concern is ambiguous in some way, partly selfish (in how it reflects back on himself), and partly caring: he needs to protect her from her brain-to-mouth pipeline. In fact, that Chihaya and Arata were talking out there in the rain at all was due to one of those blunders (and one that couldn't be resolved because it was in the middle of class).

Now, Taichi obviously likes Chihaya, and it's very hard to believe that her enthusiasm, kindness and spirit isn't part of why he likes her. But that very aspect also makes her a reputation hazard. It's very clear that Taichi worries a lot about reputation (example: the first thing he says to Chihaya
when they meet at the start of the episode is about what she's called at school). Chihaya is clearly aware that her motor-mouth hurts people, and when Taichi intervenes in those situations, it's actually a welcome opportunity to make amends.

But when it comes to reputation, more precisely in-group membership brownie points (I have to say that, because she is excited about her sister's frontpage appearance, which is also a form of reputation), she's just oblivious and has no internal understanding why that's important. She can see the results, though. So, Taichi's perspective is valuable to her.

When it comes to Arata, though, there is a clash of priorities. Basically, a trait where they usually complement each other is now a source of conflict, because Arata threatens their reputation (and thus their "place" in class). So when Taichi tries to get Chihaya to abandon Arata, this simply not an option for Chihaya ("I didn't think you were so mean," or something to that effect). I'm pretty sure that deep down Taichi actually agrees with Chihaya, and Chihaya knows that. So she's not taking his threat seriously, when she's telling him "fine".

But Taichi has been primed for rivalvry, ever since the guy also memorised 100 poems. And now he's talking to Chihaya. Is he ursurping his place? Is this the new-comer to kick him out of the life that he treasures? At that moment, Chihaya's reaction must confirm that fear. The emotional reaction is paradox: Arata represents at once the outsider who contaminates them with outsider-weirdness, and the rival outsider who seeks to change places with him. And he has just lost an important (if not decisive) battle. All that frustration lies in that push against Chihaya, who's more suprisded than upset at that - she realises that there are deeper issues than she thought.

Socially speaking, Chihaya is looking outwards, whereas Taichi is looking inwards. This makes it hard for Chihaya to "belong", but easy for her to make individual friends. Taichi is pretty much the opposite. This must have caused awkward situations before (and, I'm sure, they complement each other well, too). But here it broke out first full tilt.

The potential-girlfriend type of jealousy is certainly prominent in the scene - but for Taichi much more is at stake. It's existential.

So what's behind Taichi's behaviour in the rain that day?

1. A sense of belonging threatened by the newcomer, either by being tainted with the mark of the outsider, or by being supplanted by the same. (A paradox and confusing situation)

2. A behavioural pattern between Chihaya and himself, where he balances her socially hazardous impulsivness - which usually benefits her (so why shouldn't it, this time, too?)

3. A fear of losing Chihaya to "the other guy"

(1) is the most abstract, and (3) is the most concrete in that situation. This is why I absolutely agree that the situational motive is jealousy. It's obvious. But I do agree that context is important. Taichi isn't just being jealous. There's more to it. And concern for Chihaya is certainly part of it (it takes, I think, the shape I summarised in (2) above).

Of course, I have only one episode to go on, and I've only seen it once. So who knows what I've been missing, and what relevant information I don't have?

Sorry if I'm completely missunderstanding you but what I saw when I watched this episode was a potential life changing encounter as well as a fight that might have put a childhood friendship in danger.I hardly call that "simple daily living".

Sorry if I'm completely missunderstanding you but what I saw when I watched this episode was a potential life changing encounter as well as a fight that might have put a childhood friendship in danger.

What life changing encounter? Chihaya and Arata were classmates for awhile before they started talking to one another.

As for "childhood friendship in danger", we already know that this friendship doesn't end due to the first half of the episode.

This is simple daily living, imo, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Kids go through disputes with their friends and peers all the time. Kids meet new kids every time they go to new schools, or new kids come to their school. It's a basic part of life. And that's a big part of the reason why I call it "slice of life". When I think "drama", I think about overarching conflicts that are much more intense than this. Chihayafuru might develop into that, but it's not there yet, imo.

Mythbusters should make experiment based off this anime on how those cards can stick themselves on the wall.

They already have, 2004 season episode 12.

Now to the show, I liked the first episode, despite the shoujo character designs... but I have a problem with these "sport" anime, I have yet to see one that combines the sport with the plot. Here there is the additional problem, that the professional subbers will never translate the whole poem, and being poems, written in hiragana, there is no way I can manage to read them, let alone comprehend them.

Context is very important, and I agree with you on the concern. It's certainly there, and if you ignore that you're ignoring an important part of the motivation. But even that concern is ambiguous in some way, partly selfish (in how it reflects back on himself), and partly caring: he needs to protect her from her brain-to-mouth pipeline. In fact, that Chihaya and Arata were talking out there in the rain at all was due to one of those blunders (and one that couldn't be resolved because it was in the middle of class).

I'm still not seeing any concern for Chihaya's sake here. If anything, Taishi is going to be the instigator for any bullying against her.

In any case, the purpose of this flashback sequence is to cast Chihaya in the midst of a change in perspective (she referred to it as the time before she got her passion), Arata as the catalyst, and Taishi as an incidental character so far. The latter's motivations for his actions aren't all that important yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Kids go through disputes with their friends and peers all the time. Kids meet new kids every time they go to new schools, or new kids come to their school. It's a basic part of life. And that's a big part of the reason why I call it "slice of life".

It's more commonly called drama.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triple_R

When I think "drama", I think about overarching conflicts that are much more intense than this.

That's closer to melodrama.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DmonHiro

Best female character I've seen in ages. I love her.

Chihaya doesn't seem all that different from the prototypical shoujo lead. Then again, we haven't seen those all that often lately.

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The victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won...